Hay carrier return device



P L. E. FIKE 1,953,400

HAY CARRIER RETURN DEVICE Filed Jan. 18, 1932 Patented Apr. 3, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFKQE This invention relates to a hay carrier return car.

In accordance with the present invention, an inclined trackway in the form of a wire suitably mounted at its ends is provided, and arranged to travel over the wire trackway is a hay carrier return car of strong and durable construction and practical and eflicient for returning the hay carrier, subsequent to the dumping of the hay into a barn or similar storage place.

The hay carrier return car or device forming the subject matter of the present invention is an improvement over a similar device forming the subject matter of application for patent filed by me under date of September 17, 1929 and bearing Serial No. 393,215, the present invention having improved means for detachably connecting a weight to the car of the device, the weight serving to insure a smooth operation of the carrier and car, eliminating bobbing and jerking, objectional features of the carriers now in use.

The invention together with its numerous other objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the carrier return device constructed in accordance with the present invention, and

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, 1 designates a hay carrier return device or car provided with spaced grooved wheels 2 and comprising side plates 3, a hook 4 pivoted to and depending from the side plates and adapted to engage the eye 7 of a balancing weight 8.

The plates 3 comprise substantially U-shaped 40bars and these bars are connected together adjacent their ends by transverse bolts 9. The wheels 2 are journaled between corresponding ends of the bars 3 on axle bolts 10 and the axle bolt 10 at one end of the bars, has connected thereto a bail 11 to which is connected one end of a coupling or draft cable 12.

The bars 3 accommodate therebetween adjacent their corresponding ends, a trackway 13, and the wheels 2 are arranged in alinement, and are adapted to run on the trackway 13 which latter consists of a wire disposed at an incline to the perpendicular, though in practice the one end of the wire, namely the upper end, is suitably anchored to a wall of the barn and is properly located with respect to the hay mow while the lower end of the wire is anchored to a stake (not shown) and located remotely from the barn.

Connecting the intermediate portions of the plates 3 is a bolt 14 and the hook 4 which is preferably formed of wire bent into a substantial U, is engaged with the bolt 14 between the plates. In this connection, it will be noted that one of the parallel portions of the wire at the open end of the hook 4 is bent to form an eye through which the bolt 14 extends whereby the hook 4 is free to rotat-e about the bolt 14 as an axis.

The weight 8 which serves not only to balance the return car, but which has as its primary purpose, to return the car or device together with the hay carrier (not shown) is suspended from the hook 4 by reason of the eye '7 of the weight being engaged with the hook as shown.

As is well known, a hay carrier (not shown) is usually provided for carrying the hay and subsequently dumping it into the mow of a barn, and this carrier travels over an inclined trackway or wire such as the wire 13. In accordance with the present invention, my improved return car 1 is adapted to travel over the selfsame track or wire 13 in line with the car, and is coupled in tandem with the hay carrier through the medium of the draft cable 12 in a manner thought apparent.

The car 1 will serve to balance the carrier and to prevent bobbing and jerking thereof. When the hay carrier has reached the limit of its upward travel, and after the dumping of the hay into the mow of the barn, the car 1 upon release of the hay carrier will serve to cause the hay car rier to return to its position at the lower end of the trackway or wire 13, the combined weight of the car 1 and weight 8 overcoming the weight of the unloaded hay carrier.

Even though I have herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details of construction, materials used, or the combination or arrangement of parts as herein illustrated, but claim all such forms of the invention to which I am entitled, it being intended to nowise limit the invention beyond the requirements of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In a hay carrier return device, the combination of a track over which the carrier is adapted to travel, a car connected with the track and adapted to travel thereover, means for connect- 4. A return device for hay carriers comprising a pair of substantially U-shaped plates secured in opposed spaced relation, wheels journalled between the plates at corresponding ends thereof and adapted to engage and travel over the trackway for the hay carrier, means for coupling the return device at one end of said plates with the hay carrier, a hook pivoted to said plates intermediate the ends of the latter, and a weight engaged with said hook.

LLOYD EMERSON FIKE. 

